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Columbus Day is a celebration of violence

Abstract:
As public school children and government employees enjoy today off, fewer and fewer states around the nation are "celebrating" Columbus Day. Though Columbus Day - which marks the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas - is a symbol of pride for some (namely Italian-Americans), for many more it is a symbol of violence, anger and shame....

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Brian

posted 10/13/08 @ 9:35 AM EST

Columbus Day is a day recognizing and celebrating the westward expansion of European culture to the New World. European curiosity, intellect, sea navigation, cartography and engineering made opened up the passageway for development and eventual birth of modern day America. The Native Americans, for better or for worse, simply lacked the resources to ever develop this country to what it is today. America's Constitution, government, infrastructure, roads, cities, and language is deeply rooted in European heritage. To not acknowledge that would be like an ostrich hiding his head in the sand!
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Webby

posted 10/13/08 @ 11:14 PM EST

Brian, isn't that a little value laden? Who's to say European culture is better than any other culture? What has all this development gotten us? We still have people starving to death every hour, we still have theft, murder, rape, etc. The "Great March to the Present" view of history you have leaves a lot to be desired. Newer is not always best.
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seriously?

posted 10/14/08 @ 7:47 AM EST

Originally posted by

Webby

 Brian, isn't that a little value laden? Who's to say European culture is better than any other culture? What has all this development gotten us? We still have people starving to death every hour, we still have theft, murder, rape, etc. The "Great March to the Present" view of history you have leaves a lot to be desired. Newer is not always best.


you want to actually sit there and tell me with a straight face you would rather Europe never have colonized America? that you would honestly rather be living the way native americans do than the way we do now? i find that impossible to believe. why dont you hit up teaching drum school (Teachingdrum.org) for a year and tell me you don't appreciate the new world.
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Native American Advocate

posted 10/14/08 @ 9:18 AM EST

I would agree with Webby, to celebrate the westward expansion of European culture and colonization is not something to honor. It is celebrating the destruction and genocide of hundreds of thousands of Native peoples. I personally cannot celebrate such a day.
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